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The Hatchery Chicago

@thehatcherychi

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Nonprofit food and beverage incubator addressing 3 main challenges for entrepreneurs in Chicago: access to production space, financing, & resources

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🌟A Hatchery Success Story Part 1: The Necessity of Cooking 🍳

Jason London learned to cook out of necessity. Growing up as a latchkey kid, he spent a lot of time figuring things out in the kitchen on his own. His mom also helped build the foundation. She taught him how to make gravy, stocks, and sauces.

But Jason didn’t immediately pursue food as a career. He started in banking, until the financial crisis hit and he was laid off during the market meltdown.

“That’s when I decided to go to culinary school,” he says.

He enrolled at Kendall College and began a second career in food, working as a personal chef and later in restaurant kitchens. Even then, he had a long-term vision of eventually starting his own comfort food catering business.

He didn’t know it yet, but he was about to meet his perfect match, in life and business... Stay tuned for Part 2 and see how two food worlds collided!
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#TheHatcheryChicago #TheHatcherySuccessStories #TheChefandtheBaker #chicagoentrepreneurs #chicagosmallbusiness taken in The Hatchery Chicago by @thehatcherychi

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23 days ago

🌟A Hatchery Success Story Part 2: When Savory Meets Sweet 🍪

Jason London met Erica Williams just before the pandemic, as his catering business was kicking off.

Erica came to food from the corporate side of the industry, working in marketing and product innovation for companies like Nestlé, Morton Salt, and ACH Food Companies.

But outside of work, she loved baking and hosting. She started selling cookies and ran a food blog reviewing restaurants and sharing recipes. For Erica, food was always about bringing people together.

“Food is the great connector,” she says.

Their first collaboration happened during a Thanksgiving catering order, when Erica offered to make mini pumpkin pies for Jason’s event. It was the first time their two food worlds came together.

Their partnership naturally blended their strengths; Jason focused on savory cooking and production schedules, while Erica brought baking, hospitality, and business experience.

Shortly after, The Chef and the Baker @thechefthebaker was born! 💡Learn how they scaled their passion into a thriving business in Part 3.
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#TheHatcheryChicago #TheHatcherySuccessStories #TheChefandtheBaker #chicagogram #chicagoentrepreneurs #chicagosmallbusiness taken in The Hatchery Chicago by @thehatcherychi

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18 days ago

🌟A Hatchery Success Story Part 3: Scaling the Dream 📈

As the business grew, they realized passion alone wasn’t enough. They needed systems, structure, and a plan for scaling. While searching for commercial kitchen space, they connected with ICNC and The Hatchery.

Since joining in 2021, they’ve participated in programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities that helped them think through logistics, finances, and growth.

“Being around other entrepreneurs and learning from people who’ve done it before has been huge,” Jason says.

Today, @thechefthebaker continues to grow through catering and farmers markets, where they test new menu items and connect directly with customers.

Their long-term goal is a brick-and-mortar restaurant within the next two years.

For Jason, the journey has been less about one big leap and more about steady progress.

“It’s a lot of little steps,” he says. “If you just start, that will get you the next opportunity. You’ll learn from it, and go to the next bigger thing from there.”
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#TheHatcherySuccessStories #TheChefandtheBaker #TheHatcheryChicago #chicagoentrepreneurs #chicagosmallbusiness #chicagogram taken in The Hatchery Chicago by @thehatcherychi

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13 days ago

Thank you to all the wonderful vendors, Youth Garden Corps members, and everyone from GPCC, @makecitychicago @allies4cb and @thehatcherychi for making the third annual Taste of The Hatchery a smashing success!

This is our opportunity for the businesses at The Hatchery to get connected with the Garfield Park community, and let us tell you: the community showed up and showed out! If you want to continue building community around food with us, our next Market is August 8 from 10am - 2pm at The Hatchery! by @thehatcherychi

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10 hours ago

The sun is shining and there's not a cloud in sight... It's a beautiful day for the Taste of The Hatchery and Garfield Park Neighborhood Market! taken in The Hatchery Chicago by @thehatcherychi

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12 hours ago

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Your Saturday morning…handled!

#thehatcherychicago #foodandbeverage #buildcommunity #garfieldparkfarmersmarket #thehatchhustlesharder by @thehatcherychi

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3 days ago

Hustle = pay-off for food businesses like @thechefthebaker working out of The Hatchery.
If you’re looking for kitchen space and a supportive community to help scale your food business, inquire today. 🔗Link in bio.

#TheHatcheryChicago #FoodBusiness #FoodEntrepreneur #CommercialKitchen #ChicagoFoodBusiness #SmallBusinessSupport #KitchenIncubator taken in The Hatchery Chicago by @thehatcherychi

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7 days ago

We’re grateful to partner with The Hatchery Impact Program to provide meals for attendees of the West Side Wellness Fair, held every Thursday.❤️

By sourcing meals through local food businesses, we’re able to serve nutritious meals while supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening our local economy.

It’s another example of how your donations create change beyond the plate creating opportunities for local businesses while helping us serve our neighbors with dignity and care.

Thank you for believing in our mission and helping us Serve Humanity on the Streets.❤️@thehatcherychi

#Partnership #TheHatcheryImpactProgram #ChiCare #CommunityFirst #ServingHumanity by @thehatcherychi

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15 days ago

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19 days ago

Find your momentum and your community with ICNC | Make City + The Hatchery.
🔗Link in bio to learn more.

#TheHatcheryChicago #chicagosmallbusiness #ICNC #MakeCity #chicagoentrepreneurs #makeyourmove taken in Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC) by @thehatcherychi

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21 days ago